Assailable

Assailable means vulnerable to attack or criticism, not easily defended. It implies a weakness or flaw that makes something susceptible to being undermined, questioned, or damaged. This vulnerability can be physical, intellectual, or emotional, and the nature of the assault can vary from direct physical confrontation to subtle criticisms or manipulative tactics. The term suggests a lack of strong defenses, making the subject or object an easy target for those seeking to exploit its weaknesses. Something assailable can often be improved upon or protected given sufficient planning.

Assailable meaning with examples

• The castle, with its poorly maintained walls and outdated weaponry, was considered assailable by any moderately sized army. The general knew they needed to reinforce their defenses before the impending siege, given the readily apparent weaknesses. Failure to address these issues meant the castle was an easy target for any attacking force.
• Her arguments, filled with logical fallacies and unsupported claims, were easily assailable by her debate opponent. The audience quickly realized the flaws in her reasoning as she presented poorly constructed ideas. The speaker did not know the topic as well as she should, making her arguments an easy target for skilled questioning.
• The company's unethical business practices made its reputation assailable by negative publicity and public outrage. The company was involved in several illegal activities, therefore, they would have difficulty defending themselves. The weak image left the company open to criticism from competitors, regulators, and the general public.
• His fragile emotional state, after the recent heartbreak, made him assailable to manipulation and exploitation by others. He was vulnerable and his friends were very worried about how he was feeling. He struggled to establish healthy boundaries, thus he could not defend himself from those seeking to take advantage of him.